


Holding On

by HariWrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Minor Character Death, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-08 08:57:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15239889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HariWrites/pseuds/HariWrites
Summary: Ten years since Marinette left, she returns to Paris. After a decade of regret, will she find closure from losing her one true love, Chat Noir?





	1. Chapter 1

It didn’t end with a bang or a whimper, but with a cough and blood on a handkerchief.

In the end, Hawk Moth was defeated by stage four pancreatic cancer that went undiscovered until secondary lung cancer presented itself as a persistent cough. Gabriel Agreste passed away in a hospice and with his death, the threat of Hawk Moth dissipated.

She stood behind Adrien at the funeral, next to Alya, Nino and Max. He stayed strong and delivered a heartfelt eulogy about his father before crying on Chloe’s shoulder as the coffin disappeared into the tomb.

Marinette couldn’t console him, she didn't feel it was her place. They were friends, of course, and over the years, they’d had a few dalliances (if dating for three weeks during lycée and occasionally making out at drunken student parties counted as romantic encounters) but they had never been close. He was part of her friendship group and she had an undeniable crush on him for half the time she knew him, but she never truly got to know him. Not like she got to know and love her Chaton.

As Ladybug, she and Chat Noir felt sure that Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth. The villain’s disappearance coincided too perfectly with the fashion icon’s death. It wasn’t a victory, however. Neither felt satisfied by this ending, particularly because they never recovered the butterfly pin. It must have been stashed away within the fortress-like Agreste mansion before Gabriel left his home to die. But where? And how would they find it?

Nights on patrol turned into deep conversations. Emotional comfort turned into physical comfort. Their close partnership blossomed into love. He was, after all, her soulmate, her better half. They were yin and yang, two sides of the same coin and their love burned brightly for each other.

There was a place behind her earlobe that, if kissed just right, could drive her crazy. After her Chaton found it, he used it to his advantage more times than she could count. As they lay on their favourite rooftop, he’d tease her until she couldn’t wait any more and flipped their positions to grind against him until they both came in their suits, biting each other’s shoulders to stifle their moans and avoid being spotted.

Yet, they were scared to give all of themselves to the relationship. Afraid to expose identities they had concealed for so long even though they were now free to be honest without the spectre of akumatisation hanging over them. It was too much of a burden to carry someone else’s secrets on top of their own so they didn’t tell each other. It was easier that way.

Paris didn’t need superheroes after its supervillain had faded away. As the months passed, they patrolled less.

Transformed less often.

Until they didn’t do it at all any more.

Then, Adrien married Chloe and they moved to Milan. Marinette got a job in London and left everything behind to fulfil her dream of being a fashion designer.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were never seen in Paris again.


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette set her suitcase on the stand in her hotel room and unzipped it while Tikki zipped around the room. She had dresses in her luggage that ought to be hung so she took them out, shaking them before putting them into the wardrobe. She’d brought two options for the wedding tomorrow, one blue, one pink, both designed and made by her. The blue one was dramatic, a little daring, while the pink was demure and romantic. She hadn’t decided which one she wanted to be yet.

She was here to celebrate Max’s wedding, to catch up with old friends and forget her domestic troubles. She was here to step back in time to when life was more simple, and that’s what she was going to do. No talk about her life now, she only wanted to reminisce and lose herself in nostalgia.

She could have stayed with her parents, or even Alya and Nino, but that would mean answering questions about why David wasn’t with her, why he and Felix were on holiday without her. How do you tell your friends and family that you and your husband prefer to spend time apart these days? How do you explain that your marriage is disintegrating and that resentment and bitterness have replaced love and affection?

A notification tone sounded and she checked her phone. It was a message from Alya, demanding they meet for a drink and something to eat. It was 8pm and that train station sandwich she ate at St Pancras was a distant, unsatisfying memory so she texted back to agree. Alya told her she was already in the hotel lobby so Marinette gave herself a quick once over in the mirror. Her black cigarette trousers were a little creased from the journey but her vintage Jagged Stone t-shirt and red jersey blazer looked good so she rubbed her pinkie-tips under her eyes to remove mascara flakes and liner smudges, reapplied her lipstick, grabbed her bag and headed to the door. She called to Tikki, who darted into her bag, settling down next to her hotel room key.

She couldn’t wait. Some friends, like Alya and Rose, had remained part of her life, visiting London, or calling and emailing when they couldn’t afford the trip. Others had simply forgotten about her. She knew it was part of life, but being so unmemorable was hard to swallow.  

The elevator doors opened and Marinette scanned the reception area for her friend. When she saw her, tears welled in her eyes. Not just Alya, but Juleka, Rose, Mylene and Alix were waiting for her, excited anticipation turning to joy when they spotted their old friend.

Maybe she wasn’t as forgettable as she first thought.


	3. Chapter 3

She saw him before he saw her, he was crossing the road towards the town hall from the other side of the street and he didn’t notice her until they both stepped onto the same pavement. His eyes widened as they looked her up and down. 

“Wow,” He breathed before composing himself and putting a smile on his face. “Oh my god, Marinette! I almost didn’t recognise you, you look amazing. Really amazing.”

She bit her bottom lip and smiled at the compliment, glad she’d worn the blue dress, pleased that she’d chosen the rock-chick makeup to go with it. “Thanks, you look pretty good yourself.”

That was an understatement. Age had been kind to Adrien. His eyes twinkled from behind a smattering of crows feet. Grey was the predominant colour in his hair now. It was cut short in a way she’d never have considered in his floppy-haired youth, but it suited him. He looked suave and distinguished. His charcoal three-piece wool suit made him look as though he’d wandered off the catwalk to get here.

“When did you get here?” She asked, remembering that he lived in London, too.

“Yesterday morning. I’m staying with Nino and Alya. They, uh, said you got here last night.”

She nodded. “I had to work first.”

“Are you still with Bailey & Berry?” He knew where she worked. Had he asked Nino last night, or did he keep up with her news?

“I am, going on five years. You’re in London as well, right?”

“For now. I’ve been transferred again, I’m coming back to Paris,” He beamed, his excited face suddenly looking five years younger.

Marinette wanted to feel happy for him that he was coming home but it was tinged with a touch of jealousy. She longed to return to Paris, too. David didn’t speak French which would prevent him from finding a job there so they were tied to London. He seldom accompanied her and Felix when she came home to visit her parents; it was clear he wasn’t a fan of the place.

“Anyway, I have groomsmen duties so I’ll have to love you and leave you. We’ll catch up properly later, okay?” He put his hand on her shoulder and she felt him gently squeeze it as he winked.

Marinette watched Adrien rush off towards where Max was pacing nervously before she found Alya and Nino waiting with the rest of their friends. Kim and Ondine greeted her warmly and shared the news that they were expecting their first child in six months. Sabrina hugged her, apologising that she hadn’t been in touch recently but she’d been busy with a new boyfriend. Nathaniel introduced her to his new fiancee who immediately pulled her into an embrace and gushed about all the great things she’d heard about her.

She’d come to Paris to forget her troubles and so far, it was working. Seeing her old friends so contented was having a positive effect on her.

Seeing Max so glowingly in love as he made his vows to Enzo only bolstered her happiness and, when both grooms cried their way through their vows, Marinette shed a tear, too. Their love was a beautiful thing and she felt honoured to be able to share this moment with them.

As she dabbed at her face, trying not to undo thirty minutes-worth of makeup application in a few seconds, she caught Adrien’s eyes, which were also glistening with emotion. His expression changed to something cheekier when he saw her looking and he winked at her. That cheered her spirits in a different way.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Later, at the restaurant, after all the speeches had been made and the formalities were out of the way, she found her way to the bar. Ordering a scotch on the rocks, she heard a voice behind her shoulder.

“Make that two, on me.”

She turned to Adrien and smiled. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure,” He grinned. “It’s so good to see you Mari, I owe you at least one drink.”

It was odd, she never considered herself to be particularly close with Adrien, ten years without any contact was testament to that, but his interest in her, the way he spoke to her with fondness was making her revisit that. Maybe it was simply that now that she was back in his orbit, she felt all the same butterflies that she did back in collège.

“Mari?” She realised too late that he’d asked her a question.

“Sorry, I was lost in nostalgia,” She blushed. “What did you say?”

“You have a little boy, right?” He asked, handing her drink over.

“Yes, Felix, he’s four.” She smiled at his name, he brought her so much joy. “Alya said you and your daughter are staying with them. What's her name?”

“Bridgette.” He nodded. “She’s six, going on twenty-six. I’m sure she’ll have teamed up with Billie and Aretha by now and they’ll be bossing Marlene and Otis around.”

Marinette wanted to ask about Chloe but she didn’t want to sour the mood. Nino and Alya had told her that the pair separated when Adrien’s job transferred him to London. She didn’t want to leave Milan so insisted on staying behind while Adrien and Bridgette relocated. The divorce was finalised soon afterwards. From what she understood, Chloe would rock up once a year to spend a week and obscene amounts of money on their daughter before disappearing again, leaving him to pick up the pieces.

“Did, uh, David, not want to come with you this weekend?” He was trying to sound nonchalant and failing.

“No, he’s visiting his parents in Wales with Felix…” She wished she could keep the regret from her tone.

He placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Tell me to butt out if I’m completely inappropriate, but is everything okay with you two?”

“No. We’ve grown apart, we sleep in separate bedrooms and only spend time together for our son,” She admitted. “We should end it but, I’m scared to go it alone.”

“You’ve never been scared before.”

“Yes, I have. I let the love of my life slip through my fingers because of fear.” A tear rolled down her cheek and she fiddled reflexively with her earring. “I was too scared to show him who I really was and he faded away.”

“I understand.” He leaned his back against the bar next to her, nursing his glass and clacking his ring against it. “I had someone special, too. I loved her more than I ever thought possible, but… I was afraid of what might think of the real me.”

Her hand was on his arm. She didn’t remember putting it there but it found him anyway. “I’m sorry.”

He smiled sadly and raised his glass. “To lost love.”

“Chaton,” She said under her breath as their glasses clinked together.

“Bugaboo,” He whispered under the noise of glass tapping glass.

Neither thought the other heard. Only one of them had cat-like hearing, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all saw the rating on this, right?
> 
> This is my first time writing proper sin so be gentle with me, please ;)

Marinette had forgotten how late French weddings ran. It was 4am before she got back to her hotel room.

She wasn’t tired, though. A combination of adrenaline from seeing her friends, good food and being just the right amount of tipsy was keeping her going. She knew, however, that if she didn’t sleep, she’d regret it so she forced herself to remove her makeup and brush her hair into pigtails. She put on red pyjama pants and a black cami and plugged her phone in to charge.

When someone knocked on the door she considered ignoring it. Nosiness got the better of her, though, and she looked through the spy hole to see Adrien standing nervously in the hallway in his shirt and suit trousers, the waistcoat and jacket abandoned sometime around midnight. She opened the door and he held up a bottle of scotch and two glasses.

“I know it’s late… early? But, I wondered if you fancied a nightcap?” He said nervously.

“Sure,” She stepped aside to let him in.

He set the glasses on the dresser and poured two large measures of whisky. Marinette took a bottle of water from the minibar and added a little to one of the glasses. She held the bottle above the second glass and looked at Adrien who nodded, so she poured a splash of water into his. They picked up their drinks and Adrien looked around for somewhere to sit.

“There’s only the bed, sorry.” She admitted.

“Okay,” Adrien slipped off his shoes and sat on her bed and shuffled himself back until he was leaning against the headrest.

Teenage Marinette fainted on the spot. Thirty-four-year-old Marinette felt a little self-conscious about being in her night clothes in front of Adrien but she shook it off and climbed on the bed to sit next to him. They clinked their glasses and drank. The whisky was smooth, smoky and sweet, it tasted expensive.

“It’s funny,” Marinette mused. “Twenty years ago, I’d have died at the idea of Adrien Agreste sitting in my room... on my bed. I had the biggest crush on you.”

“I know,” He smiled slyly. “You didn’t hide it well.”

“You knew?!”

“I figured it out eventually. It took longer than it should have and I was too intimidated to talk to you about it.” He admitted.

“You were intimidated by me?” She was sure she misheard him.

“Of course, Marinette. You were such a thoughtful friend and you fought for the people you loved. Remember when Principle Damocles took Max’s robot from him and you deliberately got yourself sent out of class so you could get it back? That passion… I was in awe of you.”

“Huh.”

His smile was curious. “Why does that surprise you? You were the class president and everyone had a crush on you at some point. You were highly thought of.”

“I guess, that’s not how I remember me in high school. Maybe time has clouded the memories.” She took another drink of whisky. “It’s good to see you, Adrien.”

“Likewise,” He nudged her shoulder with his.

They fell into easy silence, leaning on each other’s shoulders as they finished their drinks. When her glass was empty, Adrien took it from her and she assumed he was going to get another one. He didn’t. He set the glasses on the bedside table before turning back to her. There was something unsettling in his eyes, a flirtatiousness that she was more used to seeing on her old partner’s face.

“Uh, when you say ‘everyone had a crush’ on me..?” Marinette started to ask.

He nodded. “Me included.”

“So I had a crush on you and you had one on me,” She said, biting her lip, considering what might have been.

“Had?” His eyebrow quirked and his face was full of mischief.

He rolled over and straddled her. His weight was resting on his knees and elbows so he wasn’t actually touching her, just hanging over her. His face was mere centimetres from hers and she could feel his warm breath mingle with hers. Suddenly, her mouth was dry and she licked her lips. Memories of rooftop liaisons with Chat Noir kept her in place. Curiosity stopped her from pushing him away.

“What are you doing?” She whispered, her voice little more than a croak.

“Testing something.” He said. “Say when.”

He moved one knee between her legs, then the other. Then, his weight shifted and she felt his body on hers. His lips touched hers and she kissed him.

His lips were soft and his kisses were gentle and chaste. She placed her hand on his cheek, feeling his five o’clock shadow under her fingers. Her hands travelled to his hair as their kiss intensified. He nibbled her bottom lip, sucking it and pulling on her with growing urgency. Their tongues met, searching each other’s mouths, pulling them deeper into each other. Her fingers ran through his hair, scraping his scalp, drawing him closer. She wanted to close every gap between them, to feel every part of him against her.

He cupped her cheeks and traced the tip of his ring finger lightly across That Place behind her earlobe and she moaned into his mouth. His kisses moved across her jaw and she tilted her head back, revealing in every teasing nip, every tender peck. When he reached her earlobe, he nuzzled his nose behind it before igniting a fire inside her with a flicker of his tongue.

“Ah, Chat!” She moaned as heat rippled through her.

She felt him smile as he continued to lick and suck in the sweetest of spots, unaware of what she had said. Instinct took over and she hooked her legs in his knees and flipped them over. Looking down at him on her bed, gazing wantonly back at her, she felt her breath leave her as a delayed moment of recognition took hold.

“Kitty?” She gasped.

He smirked and winked up at her. “Long time no see, Bug.”

Any other quip he had in store for her was smothered as she pulled him towards her by his shirt and smashed her lips into his. His hands ran through her hair, pulling the bands from her pigtails as he did. She ground in his lap and memories of nights on rooftops washed over her.

Somehow, Captain Oblivious himself had unmasked them, and now they were free to be together without secrets. This time, they didn’t have to keep their supersuits on. Suddenly, she felt like her nightclothes weren't insubstantial enough.

Marinette fumbled with Adrien’s shirt buttons, ripping a few in her haste to undo them. She tore the garment from his arms and tossed it to the side. Pushing him back onto the bed, she took a moment to admire his still-toned abs before bending over to kiss his chest. Her eager tongue flickered over one nipple, eliciting a gasp from him and she kissed a trail to the other one, grazing his chest with her teeth before teasing that nipple.

Adrien grabbed handfuls of her cami and removed it from her in a smooth movement. She revelled in the sensation of skin against skin and gasped as Adrien’s nails raked up her back.

It was his turn to flip them and she was thrown on her back forcefully but carefully. Their fingers entwined and he pressed her hands into the mattress next to her head while he traced the curve of her breasts with his tongue, making her writhe under him. Adrien’s mouth moved down her stomach, nearing the waistband of her pyjama pants. When he reached a point just below her navel, he let go of her hands to swiftly pull the red flannel from her legs.

Lifting one knee, he kissed slowly up her inner thigh, then moved to her other knee, kissing up towards the place where her panties were becoming increasingly soaked in anticipation of his next move. He placed a single kiss on the material over her clit and looked up at her with desire in his emerald eyes.

“Is this okay?” He asked, voice low and serious, thumbs hooking into her waistband.

“Mmhmm,” She nodded and lifted her hips to help him remove her underwear more easily.

Laying before him, totally naked, Marinette thought she’d feel self-conscious, but she didn’t. This felt right. This was where she was meant to be.

Adrien hungrily took in her body with his eyes and he ran his fingertips lightly from her collarbone to hips before he slipped his hands under her ass and lifted her to him. Never breaking eye contact, he teased her folds with his hot, wet tongue, savouring every morsel of her. Her fingers scrabbled at the sheets as she watched him lick and nudge her slowly towards ecstasy, drawing sounds from her that she’d never heard herself make before.

When he eased two fingers inside her at the same moment his lips wrapped around her clit and he swirled his tongue, Marinette’s eyes rolled back in head, unable to hold his gaze any more. The sensations pulsated from her core and her thighs tensed where they pressed against his cheeks. She was close.

“Adrien, I…” She managed to say.

“Come for me, My Lady,” He commanded huskily.

Then he sucked on her clit as his tongue pressed on it, flicking faster. His fingers pumped in and out, curling slightly and hitting all the right places. Blood thundered in her ears as her back arched involuntarily. Wave after wave of pleasure pulsed through her body and a guttural moan escaped her. Adrien kept licking until her jolts and quivers subsided.

She lay back, panting. Her mind was reeling from the fact that Adrien was her Chaton, her body still recovering from the revelation of his expert touch. Adrien placed soft kisses up her body until he reached her neck, nuzzling behind her ear again. She wrapped her arms around him, craving his touch, needing more. She felt his arousal, pushing into her leg and knew she wanted, needed more from him.

Except…

“I don’t have any protection,” She whispered in his ear.

He sat up, smiling. “This might seem presumptuous, but I do.”

Reaching into his back pocket, he retrieved a condom and placed in on the bed. He looked ever so slightly contrite, yet utterly unrepentant at the same time.

“So, I’m a sure thing, am I?” Marinette tried to sound huffy.

“Not at all, Bugaboo. I was feeling hopeful, that’s all.”

Marinette knelt up so her face was level with his. When she started kissing him, her hands were on his chest, then his teeth tugged on her bottom lip before their tongue met. They explored each other's mouths hungrily and the kiss became deep and forceful. She slid her hands down his stomach until they reached his fly. Unbuttoning and unzipping him, she pulled his trousers and briefs down as one, freeing his hard-on from its confines.

She wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked its considerable length. Adrien moaned into her mouth and his fingers gripped her ass, pulling her into him. She was enjoying holding his hard, thick erection in her hand but she wanted more to feel him inside her. She reached for the condom and unwrapped it, swiftly sheathing him in latex.

He was sitting on the bed, legs loosely crossed in front of him, so she climbed into his lap and lowered herself on him. She gasped as he filled her, his girth stretching her like never before. Their lips crashed together and she moved on him with slow, sensual strokes, delighting in every inch of his cock inside her. Marinette’s hands were on his shoulders, toying with the hair on the nape of his neck. Adrien had one arm behind him, bracing them against the bed, the other was wrapped around her back, pulling her close.

“Mon Dieu, Mari, you feel so good.”

His voice was breathy and Marinette melted at the knowledge that she caused that. She thrust more deeply and Adrien’s head fell back as he moaned throatily. She felt his hips grind into hers, begging her for more. She increased her pace.

Their bodies were slick with sweat, her breasts gliding over his chest as she moved against him, the sensation of him rubbing on her rock-hard nipples sent a thrill into her core, building on the glorious feeling of his throbbing member inside her, the friction on her clit, rocketing her into oblivion.

“Ah, Adrien!” She groaned.

Marinette’s vision blurred and her movements became staccato as a second orgasm shattered through her. The climax radiating from her centre pulsed around Adrien, pushing him over the edge until he joined her, pushing his hips into her, emptying himself into the condom.

“Marinette,” He cried her name like it was a prayer.

Together, entwined, hearts pounding, they held each other until their breathing slowed. When she looked into his eyes, the fire had been replaced with warmth and adoration, mirroring her own emotions.

"You didn't say when," He said.

She giggled.

The sun was breaking through the cold night sky when Marinette and Adrien lay down to sleep. Wrapped in each other’s arms, they clung to each other, neither wanting to relinquish their rediscovered love. When he shifted under the covers, her stomach lurched.

“Don’t let me go yet, please.” Her arms tightened around him.

“My Lady, I’ve been holding on to you for the past twenty years, I’m not letting go again.”


End file.
